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The South Florida musician charged in the hit-and-run crash that killed a cyclist on the Rickenbacker Causeway took back his use of the word "accident" to describe the incident on the first day of his sentencing hearing Monday. Carlos Bertonatti also apologized again to the family of victim Christopher LeCanne. (Published Monday, Sept. 9, 2013)

Carlos Bertonatti looked straight into the faces of Christophe LeCanne's family Tuesday as he apologized for the hit-and-run crash that killed the cyclist. "The truth is that this was a freak accident and I'm really, really sorry," he said. (Published Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013)

“The truth is that this was a freak accident and I'm really, really sorry," he said during that February hearing.

After apologizing again to the victim's family on Monday, Bertonatti said that calling it an accident unsettled and shocked some people.

Key Biscayne Village Officials Look Into Barrier To Separate Bicyclists From Drivers on Rickenbacker

It costs drivers $1.50 to get onto the Rickenbacker Causeway. Should bicyclists have to pay to get on the causeway, too? One Key Biscayne Village councilmember has floated that idea, as officials look into a physical barrier to separate drivers from the bicycle lane. (Published Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012)

“And so for the sake of and out of respect for the LeCanne family, I would happily take that statement back and call it an incident rather than an accident. I think that’s more appropriate," said Bertonatti, who wore an orange jumpsuit in court. "But I want to make it a hundred percent clear that my use of the word was in no way, shape or form or fashion an attempt to lessen any degree of culpability in this matter that I take extremely, extremely seriously.”

Bertonatti's sentencing hearing is expected to conclude Tuesday.

Rickenbacker Causeway Bike Lanes Improved

Xavier Carville hopes things will be different on the Rickenbacker Causeway after Wednesday.Carville is a professional cyclist training for a competition in Stuart. He spends six to seven hours a day riding the causeway. Project contractor, Jackie Bermudez, talks about improvements to the bike lanes. (Published Wednesday, May 30, 2012)

Bertonatti had been charged with DUI manslaughter, leaving the scene of an accident and resisting arrest without violence. Despite having no plea deal, he pleaded guilty to every charge except leaving the scene of a crash.

Police say Bertonatti, an on-the-rise musician originally from Venezuela, was driving his silver Volkswagen Jetta on the Rickenbacker Causeway when he hit the 44-year-old LeCanne, who was riding his bike in the bike lane.

"He's not dead, you're lying to me, cops do that stuff all the time, I don't believe you," Bertonatti said, according to the police report of the incident.

Bertonatti remains behind bars without bond.

During the hearing where Bertonatti pleaded guilty, he apologized to LeCanne's family, saying what he "took away is irreplaceable."

"I still find it very difficult to express the incredible amount of pain, the shame, the guilt, and remorse that I have experienced because of this," Bertonatti told LeCanne's family. "I want to let you know if I could trade places with Christophe today I would."

Bertonatti said in court on Monday, “First and foremost, I’d like to once again extend my deepest apologies to the LeCanne family for the suffering and the loss that I have caused them."

"Unfortunately, Mrs. LeCanne is not here. Neither is her daughter, otherwise I would have liked to very much look them in the eye and apologize to them like I did back in February with Christophe’s parents and his brother, because I think that they are equally if not more deserving," he said.